African Muslim officials hail Erdogan reelection

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Muslims leaders in Africa Monday praised Turks for reelecting Recep Tayyip Erdogan as their president.

“The entire Muslim Judicial Council [MJC] leadership salutes President Erdogan and the citizens of Turkey on their election victory,” Shaykh Irafaan Abrahams, president of the MJC said.

“The global Muslim community and oppressed people are victorious with President Erdogan’s reelection and Muslims will gain further strength through his leadership,” Abrahams said.

Meanwhile, the secretary general of Jamiat Ulama, Moulana Ebrahim Bham said: “We are very happy about this reelection. We pray Erdogan continues to fight for Muslim rights and those of his people, he said in a telephone interview.

In Somalia, lawmaker Lutfi Sheriff Mohamed, told Anadolu he too was very happy for Erdogan's reelection.

“I hope he can be a role model for the Islamic world and Somalia,’’ he said.

Mohamed said Somalis appreciated Turkey sending development aid to their country. He said there was uncertainty that the aid would have continued had Erdogan lost.

Erdogan first visited Somalia in 2011 in the midst of a famine that cemented bilateral relations between both countries.